Javascript Required
Your browser must have Javascript enabled in order for our dynamic player to be embedded. Please turn on Javascript in your browser preferences and then refresh this page.
Your browser must have Javascript enabled in order for our dynamic player to be embedded. Please turn on Javascript in your browser preferences and then refresh this page.
Related Organizations
Broadcast:
Minimally Invasive Colon Surgery
St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, MN, plans to broadcast a minimally invasive colon surgery, live on the Internet. The webcast is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. CST. The public will be able to view a laparoscopic hemicolectomy, the removal of part of the colon through a small incision.
Duluth Clinic colorectal surgeon Melissa Najarian, MD, will perform the procedure. Duluth Clinic surgeon Thomas Wiig, MD will help explain the surgery and answer questions e-mailed by viewers. Computer users must have high-speed Internet service and the Real Player program downloaded on their system.
During a typical surgery, Dr. Najarian removes a section of colon about eight inches long. In many cases, Dr. Najarian operates on patients who have colon cancer or colon polyps. A patient suffering from Crohn's disease or diverticulitis could also be a candidate for the procedure.
Because this surgery is done laparoscopically, Dr. Najarian makes an incision about two inches in length, along with three or four incisions that are less than half an inch. She inserts a camera and her tools through these small cuts to perform the surgery. An open procedure of this type would likely require an eight-inch incision.
When the minimally invasive procedure is appropriate for a patient's individual situation, this technique can lead to quicker healing. "They have less pain and that speeds up the recovery as well," Dr. Najarian notes.
As a specialist in colorectal surgery, Dr. Najarian has honed her skills in laparoscopic procedures. "It takes more training," she says. The operating room staff must also have extra training and be comfortable using the high-tech equipment that makes this type of procedure possible. Laparoscopic techniques are used in many surgeries at St. Mary's, including the removal of the appendix, gall bladder and spleen, along with weight loss surgery and hernia repairs.
Dr. Najarian says she's excited to take part in a live surgical webcast. "It will really benefit patients," she says. "I don't think people always understand what's going on with their insides." She's also hoping to use the webcast as an opportunity to remind patients about the importance of colon screenings. "If everyone had regular screenings, we might not have to do this surgery," she explains.
This will be the second live webcast from an operating room at St. Mary's Medical Center, which is part of SMDC Health System. The first live broadcast here set records for the number of people viewing a live surgery on the Internet. That webcast, which featured a knee replacement surgery, can still be viewed by going to www.duluthclinic.org
